The International Cricket Council (ICC) have confirmed that the qualifying competition for the ICC World Twenty20 2014 will be held in the UAE following this year’s successful staging.
Seventy-two matches between 16 affiliate and associate nations took place across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier here last month, with Afghanistan and Ireland eventually booking the two berths available in Sri Lanka this September.Next year’s tournament will also have four more slots on offer for the non-Test playing countries after the ICC confirmed a recommendation to increase the number of men’s teams participating from 12 to 16 overall from 2014 onwards.
“One of the highlights that certainly excites me is the decision to extend the World Twenty20 event, which takes place in Bangladesh in 2014,” said the ICC’s chief executive Haroon Lorgat at a Monday morning press conference inside the governing body’s Dubai Sports City HQ. “From then onwards, the board has decided to expand the event to 16 teams, so I’m sure that’s very comforting to all of the associates and affiliates.
“It provides them with a greater chance of competing on the global stage. Effectively, we will see six teams coming into that global event from the 95 other countries. “What will be exciting for the UAE as well will be the fact that we’ve decided to host the qualifier to that 2014 event here once again.”Two “constructive and key” recommendations, regarding the splitting of the roles between the ICC President and the Chairman of the Board and a proposed ‘Targeted Assistance and Performance Programme’ (TAPP), have been adopted following the ICC Executive Board’s second scheduled meeting of 2012 over the weekend.
However, the necessary amendments to the constitution shall now be brought before the ICC annual conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the end of June for further discussion and approval. If the former were — as expected — to ultimately be ratified, it would represent “a significant step forward in reshaping the governance of the ICC and the board,” according to Lorgat.The new largely ceremonial, non-voting role of ICC President shall be rotated among members on an annual basis, while the Chairman — who shall be appointed by the board for a maximum of six years (two three-year terms) — will also not be able to vote. – Khaleejnews
